Characterization of Corneal Biomechanical Properties and Determination of Natural Intraocular Pressure Using CID-GAT

Abstract

Purpose: The intraocular pressure (IOP) measured using Goldmann Applanation Tonometry (GAT) is confounded by individual corneal properties. We investigated a modified method that removes the confoundment by incorporating corneal properties into the Imbert-Fick's law is investigated.

Method: Porcine eyes were pressurized between 10 and 40 mm Hg using a manometer. The eyes were indented using a flat cylindrical indenter. A modified corneal indentation device (CID) procedure was used to obtain the corneal moduli E_qs . The calculated IOP_NC from the Imbert-Fick's Law using the corneal moduli E_qs was compared to the natural IOP_N, measured using pressure sensor inserted into the eye.

Results: Test results showed that IOP-dependent corneal modulus E_qs is a primary confounding factor in IOP calculation. The average elastic modulus E_qs is 0.173 ± 0.018 MPa at 20 mm Hg, and increases with IOP at a linear rate of 0.0066 MPa per mm Hg (r = 0.997, P < 0.001). Incorporation of individual E_qs into IOP_NC calculation showed that IOP_NC are in good agreement with reference IOP_N (slope = 0.999, r = 0.939, P < 0.001).

Conclusions: The IOP-dependent corneal modulus E_qs is a primary confounding factor in IOP calculation. A modified CID-GAT procedure to obtain natural cornea-independent IOP_NC is developed and verified in this study. The CID-GAT IOP modification may be used in place of conventional GAT when the confounding effects in eyes with atypical cornea (e.g., laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis [LASIK] thinned) are significant.

Translational relevance: Confoundment from corneal properties results in IOP measurement errors. The study showed that the CID-GAT method can significantly reduce the confounding corneal errors.

Keywords: biomechanical properties; confounding factors; corneal modulus; intraocular pressure; porcine eyes.